---
title: clew — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «clew» in the school dictionary: The lower back corner of a sail, where a rope is attached. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# clew

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** sailor, Ariadne, word, you, three corners, old book · **What happens:** attach, clew up, mean, pull up, tie, give · **To what, where:** rope, sail, clew, Theseus, way, head · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«clew» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [clew in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/clew.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: sailing — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The lower back corner of a sail, where a rope is attached.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:m1:1
# text = The lower back corner of a sail, where a rope is attached.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
2	lower	low	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
3	back	back	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	corner	corner	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sail	sail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
9	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	13	advmod	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nsubj:pass	_	_
12	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	13	aux:pass	_	_
13	attached	attach	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **attach** | present · passive |  | a rope |  |  |  |  | vn shake-22.3-2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: old-fashioned — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A ball of thread or yarn.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:m2:1
# text = A ball of thread or yarn.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	thread	thread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	yarn	yarn	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: old spelling — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An old way of writing «clue».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:m3:1
# text = An old way of writing «clue».
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	writing	writing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	clue	clue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: verb, sailing — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Clew up» means to pull up a sail by its corners.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:m4:1
# text = «Clew up» means to pull up a sail by its corners.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Clew	clew	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	up	up	ADP	RP	_	2	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	pull	pull	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	up	up	ADP	RP	_	7	compound:prt	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	sail	sail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
11	by	by	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	corners	corner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **clew up** *in a quote* | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **pull up** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | a sail |  |  |  | by sail's corners | vn push-12-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sail=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The sailor tied the rope to the clew of the sail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:x1:1
# text = The sailor tied the rope to the clew of the sail.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	sailor	sailor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	tied	tie	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	rope	rope	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	clew	clew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	sail	sail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tie** | past | the sailor | the rope |  |  |  | to the clew of the sail | vn mix-22.1-2 «NP V NP PP.co-patient»: agent=Agent rope=Patient to clew=Co-Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Ariadne gave Theseus a clew of thread to find his way out.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:x2:1
# text = Ariadne gave Theseus a clew of thread to find his way out.
1	Ariadne	Ariadne	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Theseus	Theseus	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	iobj	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	clew	clew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	thread	thread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	find	find	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
10	his	his	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	11	nmod:poss	_	_
11	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	_
12	out	out	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | Ariadne | a clew of thread | Theseus |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent theseus=Recipient clew=Theme |
| 2 | **find out** | to-infinitive | Ariadne *not said here* | Ariadne's way |  |  |  | out *property* | vn learn-14-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent way=Topic |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The word «clue» comes from «clew», a ball of thread.

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:x3:1
# text = The word «clue» comes from «clew», a ball of thread.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	clue	clue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	from	from	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	clew	clew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	ball	ball	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	15	case	_	_
15	thread	thread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | the word |  |  | clew |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V PP.initial\_location»: agent=Theme from clew=Initial\_Location |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pull the clew tight to trim the sail.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:x4:1
# text = Pull the clew tight to trim the sail.
1	Pull	pull	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	clew	clew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	tight	tight	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	1	xcomp	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	trim	trim	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	advcl	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	sail	sail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **pull** | imperative | you *not said here* | the clew |  |  |  | tight *property* | vn push-12-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent clew=Theme |
| 2 | **trim** | to-infinitive | you *not said here* | the sail |  |  |  |  | vn braid-41.2.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sail=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The three corners of a sail are the head, the tack and the clew.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:x5:1
# text = The three corners of a sail are the head, the tack and the clew.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	three	three	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	3	nummod	_	_
3	corners	corner	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	sail	sail	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
7	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	head	head	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	12	punct	_	_
11	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	tack	tack	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	_
13	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	clew	clew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the three corners of a sail | the head and the tack and the clew |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The old book spelled «clue» as «clew».

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:x6:1
# text = The old book spelled «clue» as «clew».
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	spelled	spell	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	6	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	clue	clue	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	6	punct	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	clew	clew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **spell** | participle | the old book | clue |  |  |  | as clew | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP ADVP»: agent=Agent clue=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
You need only hold the end of the thread, and the clew will run on before and show you the way.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:clew:x7:1
# text = You need only hold the end of the thread, and the clew will run on before and show you the way.
1	You	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
2	need	need	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	only	only	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	hold	hold	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	end	end	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	thread	thread	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	15	punct	_	_
11	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	clew	clew	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
14	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	15	aux	_	_
15	run	run	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	parataxis	_	_
16	on	on	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
17	before	before	ADV	RB	_	15	obl	_	_
18	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
19	show	show	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	15	conj	_	_
20	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	19	iobj	_	_
21	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	22	det	_	_
22	way	way	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	19	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hold** | present | You | the end of the thread |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent end=Theme |
| 2 | **run** | future | the clew |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme on before=Trajectory |
| 3 | **show** | present | the clew *not said here* | the way | you |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP-Dative NP»: agent=Agent you=Recipient way=Topic |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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